Bree and Rex Shipper Community

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 05:16:11 GMT

Desperate housewives ( 01 - 55 )
· Addie ( 56 - 68 )

preview

here

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 02:14:55 GMT

• Desperate Housewives (01-45)
• Grey's Anatomy and Kate Walsh (46-83)
• Photo Decadente (84-99)

preview

here

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 23:18:13 GMT

Title: I See Dead People
Chapter: 01– To The Beat of Your Heart
Author: xdancingdreamx
Rating: PG

Ok, so I've been working on this for months (haha, and this is just the first chapter) and it gave me majorrrr writer's block. ok, onto the story....

This is heavily based on Angelica Saxon's writing, and is a little hard to understand (when I read it at least. no laughing about the fact I can't understand my own story!). but I hope you like it!
---------------------------------------------------
Bree wasn't sure how long she'd been sitting there, just staring into space. Thinking of the love filled years that she had come to realize were now behind her.

It was becoming more and more apparent that Bree needed to show some emotion, protect her children, they had been asking her to just hold them, tell them that everything was going to be ok. But the question still lingered in her mind, why? Why did they want her to help them? Didn't they realize that she was just as devastated as they were?

"'Because they love you Bree, they need you to be there for them."

The male voice startled her out of her thoughts. Bree jumped to her feet ready to flee inside the house, lock the door, and race to the phone and call the police.

That'd never do though. The back door's aging joints could cave in with the least amount of force, being as they were, so she decided she was better off locating some sort of weapon, quick, for protection. "Who ever you are, you better tell me what the heck you're doing out here!"

Rustling grass drew her attention, and the silhouette moved closer into the flickering light of hurricane lamps while that voice spoke again. "It's ok Bree, it's only me."

For each step taken, Bree took two backwards till she was flushed against the screen door. Fixing her hand around its knob, she made ready to spring inside the house and take her chances anyway, since she couldn't come up with anything that'd ward off an attacker. "I'm warning you, I know karate!"

That soft chuckle shivered a premonition down her spine as dim light slowly revealed hair almost as dark as shadows, and light green eyes that twinkled in lamplight.

Bree briefly studied her foe taking in the way a casual pullover and faded jeans moulded to his long frame. Instinctively sensing the raw energy that laid in calm, she knew there was no way she'd be able to escape him if he chose to subdue her.

Long masculine fingers grasped the post of the back stoop, and handsome features that endowed an engaging smile bent down between wooden spokes. "Liar."

Recognition dawned. Doing her best to still her beating heart against a wave of emotional doubt, she took a shaky breath. "I'm dreaming. I fell asleep on the lawn chair, and this is all just a dream."
"No it's not honey." Came the soft reply.

Rationalize, her mind screamed. It had only been two days since she witnessed the whole heart-wrenching funeral. This wasn't real. She was fast asleep in the backyard and her mind conjured him up because he was the only person she cared for, that she needed. "If this isn't a dream, I'm hallucinating."

Green eyes lightened even more with humour as he made his way around and up the steps, "Yet another good theory, but no."

Each step brought him closer.

"No Rex...you died, your doctor rand me, he said... you can't be here!"

Pressing hard against the screen door, she shut her eyes, questioned her state of mind, and wished the hallucination gone.

The gentle touch of his hand pried her fingers away from the screen door, and seconds later, that same reassuring grasp placed her palm against the warm berth of his chest.

A body that radiated heat, that breathed air, that had a heart beat.

Warm breath swirled whisper-soft so close to her lips, he practically kissed words against her. "Does that feel like a hallucination to you Bree? Does it feel like a dream that your mind just conjured up to make you feel better?"

With love still buried deep within her heart, her soul responded to the instant thrill of his long absent touch. Bree couldn't help but part her lips tasting kisses that thrilled the senses of her being.

It seemed that was all the encouragement he needed. His kiss deepened turning sweet temptation to intoxication before warm velvet words swirled against her lips again. "It's only been minutes and I'm already wanting to love you right here."

A kiss whisked across her forehead and fingers brushed through her hair, "Bree, baby, open your eyes, I promise not to disappear."

Doing her best to compose herself, she took deep steadying breaths before her gaze opened up to emerald that held a hint of mischief. "You gonna give me a Karate chop now, or am I safe?"

The sweet trip of his voice had her smiling. "That all depends Rex. If I don't plan on waking up too soon, does that mean you'll tempt me again before I get the chance to flip you over my shoulder?"

A soft chuckle warmed her heart as one of his fingers playfully taped the tip of her nose. "Don't think I won’t after I talk some sense into that head of yours."

She didn't want this dream taking any other direction but passionate sharing, but moments later her hand was grasped, and she was being pulled down off the stoop. Sitting himself down, Rex's gentle grasp sat her beside him with all the speculation that passion wasn't really on her dreams agenda.

Bree shook her head. "I must be crazy believing this is real..."

"Baby, this isn't a dream."

She stared into green as serious as his statement. "Well, it's better than thinking that you're not here and my fragile mind is just playing a horrible trick on me. It's helping me."

That teasing smile was back. "Hey now, that's a thought."

Bree laughed softly, "Not funny."

His smile softened a fraction, and the serious depth of his gaze reassured her. "Bree, you haven't lost it. Trust me."

"If I haven't then what the hell is this Rex? You died. And now you're back from the dead. I'm trying to get over you, but you sure as hell are making it nigh impossible."

Fingers pressed softly against her lips stopping anything else she would've said. "Ssssshhh. It was the end of the line for me. But just because I'm gone doesn't mean I'm less alive than you or anyone else."

New thoughts came to mind that nearly had her afraid to draw conclusions. "No way are you a ghost."

Maddeningly enough, his smile returned more mischievous then ever. "And why's that?"

"Well…because." Oh now that was a heck of an answer. If her mind was going to mull over the logic of all this, she was going to have to do better then that. "Because I can't see through you and Ghosts don't, um...don't kiss."

Fingers trailed along her lips sending a thrilling sensation through her body.

"They don't?" Distance closed between them again while the sweet caress of his fingers travelled further down her body. "What else don't ghosts do?"
----------------------------------------------------

Ha, I told you it was hard to understand. But please, tell me what you think!

Comments are, as always, loved ang huggled.

In Your Dreams

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 06:33:41 GMT

Title: In Your Dreams
Author: MCKT
Rating: R
Category: Bree/Rex
Disclaimer: Characters belong to the one, the only, the ver fabulous Marc Cherry'
Spoilers: after season 2 before season 3
Summary: Bree has dreams

“Rex, Rex, where are you? I can’t see you…” Bree said softly. She couldn’t pinpoint where she was; she couldn’t tell if it was dark or light, but she kept walking. She kept hearing Rex’s voice. Suddenly he appeared out of nowhere and smiled at her and began to walk away. She could feel a breeze and realized she must have been outside…the next thing she saw were green trees along with a blue sky accompanied with white clouds.

“Rex wait, I can’t keep up with you.” Bree yelled running after him. He turned around and gave her smile that always seemed to charm her. He was dressed in jeans and a white shirt that showed off his muscular chest. When she reached him, he turned and began to walk away. Bree began to feel irritated that he kept walking away; yet she felt as if she had already experienced this before…almost like déjà vu.

“Rex please…Stop for a second.” He stopped and waited for her to catch up with him.

“I know,” Rex whispered softly, “I know Bree.” Bree felt confused; she had no idea what he was talking about.

“Know what Rex? W-what are you talking about?” Bree asked worriedly.

“You should know Bree…you should know.” Rex disappeared just as quickly as he appeared….

Bree awoke with a loud gasp; she couldn’t catch her breath. She was sweating and her heart was pounding in her chest. It took a while for it to settle in her brain that she had been dreaming. “Rex….” Bree said as she reached over to his side of the bed, but she soon forgot that Rex wasn’t there. He hadn’t been in their bed or their house for almost a year. Rex had been dead for almost a year, and Bree still had that same re-occurring dream of Rex. And every time she awoke from it she reached over to feel Rex, and every time he was not there. And every time she cried herself back to sleep. Bree never really dealt with his passing all that well; on the outside she appeared strong, but on the inside she was hanging on by a thread. This particular night was the worst due to the fact that she had dropped Andrew off in the middle of nowhere, her relationship with Danielle was on the rocks, and she had just checked herself out of a mental hospital in order to save Danielle from her murderer of a boyfriend.

Bree awoke the following morning feeling sick to her stomach; it was the same feeling she would get after having her dream about Rex. She tried her best to go along with her daily activities, but her mind kept wondering back to her dream of Rex. What was she supposed to know? What did he know? She didn’t have much time to ponder on the thought, it was getting close to noon and she was going to be late for the poker game at Lynette’s house. Bree looked at her watch and realized that she was late, for the first time in a long time she was actually late. She ran to Lynette’s house to find all of the ladies sitting around Lynette’s kitchen table.

“Hey Bree,” greeted Gabrielle, “for a minute there we didn’t think you were going to show.” Bree plastered on her fake smile and said, “Oh, I just lost track of time while doing my gardening in the back yard. I’m trying to plant new flowers.”

“I must say Bree, you look good for being out all morning gardening.” Lynette said skeptically.

“Oh honey, you know I don’t like to get dirty.” Bree said nervously, “Lynette would it be alright if I had some water before we start?”

“Sure, help yourself. We’re not in a big hurry; Edie called and said she would be late anyway.” Bree retrieved a glass from the cabinet in the kitchen and realized it had a streak on it; never being the one to use a dirty glass, she put it back and found the cleanest one. Not a streak on it, clear and perfect. Just how she liked it. As the red head dropped the pieces of ice into the glass, the glass slipped from Bree’s hands and shattered into a thousand pieces on the kitchen floor. The women looked up startled.

“Bree, honey are you okay?” asked Susan getting up from her chair.

“Yes, yes I’m fine,” Bree said panicking, “Lynette I’m so sorry. I can buy you another glass.” Bree felt tears dwelling in her eyes and she tried her best to hold them back.

“Bree it’s okay. You don’t need to buy me another one. It’s just a broken glass, it’s no big deal.” Lynette said following Susan into the kitchen. Gabrielle had already begun to sweep the smaller pieces with a broom.

“No Lynette!!! It is a big deal!!! I ruined your glass!!! I ruined….everything…” Bree dropped the pieces of glasses that she was picking up and cried on her best friend’s kitchen floor. Lynette, Susan, and Gabrielle all looked at one another not sure of what to do. Lynette knelt in front of Bree and Susan and Gabrielle knelt on either side of Bree stroking her arms.

“Sweetie, what’s wrong?” Lynette asked brushing the red head’s hair behind her ear.

“Everything is so wrong. My husband is dead and my children hate me. I don’t know what to do. I miss Rex so much,” Bree said crying, “I thought I’d be okay but I’m not. I thought the pain would subside after a few months without him, but it hasn’t. It’s been constant since the day I received the phone call saying that he was dead. I keep having dreams about him, and all he says to me is ‘I know’. Other than that, he completely ignores me. I’m afraid that Danielle is going to have break down because of everything that happened with the Applewhites. And Andrew….” Bree broke off her sentence. The only person that knew she had dropped him off in the middle of nowhere was Susan. Bree felt Susan give her arm a little squeeze.

“Bree, you are doing the best you can,” said Gabrielle kissing the side of her cheek, “you can only do so much. I’ve seen you with your kids and everyone else’s kids and you are a wonderful mother.”

“Gabby’s right Bree,” Lynette said, “you are a wonderful mother. You have no idea how strong you are. You’ve been through so much during the past year; I’m amazed that you are able to function after everything that life has thrown at you.” Lynette was wiping the tears from Bree’s face.

“Bree, you’re a strong woman,” Susan began, “you are going to get through this. And we will be here with you every step of the way to make sure of that. Your kids are lucky to have you as a mother. And Rex was lucky to have you as a wife. You loved him with all of your heart and sacrificed everything for him and for your kids.” Bree continued her crying in front of her best friends; she suddenly felt a weight being lifted off of her shoulders as she cried. She hadn’t cried in so long and it felt so good to let it out. Her friends continued to hold her and to hug her as she cried.

Edie walked through the front door of Lynette’s and strolled into the kitchen to find four women tangled in an embrace.

“Damn, no one told me that we were going to have some girl on girl action today.” Edie said with a smirk.

“Jesus Edie, your timing is impeccable.” Said Gabrielle.

“Van de Kamp, are you crying? It’s about damn time you show some emotion. Let me guess, it’s about Rex.” Bree looked up at Edie and wiped her tears away.

“How did you know?” asked Bree.

“Well, no one has really seen you cry since he died and after everything that’s happened with the Applewhites, I assumed you were ready for break down. Looks like I was right.” Edie walked over and sat by Lynette and sighed. “Look, I know we’re not that close Bree, but I just want to let you know that Rex really did love you. Now don’t get mad at me for this but, after I found out about his affair I made him an offer that I thought he couldn’t refuse…”

“And what was that?” asked Bree trying to get herself under control.

“Well,” Edie began, “I offered to have sex with him because lets face it, he’s hot and I’m hot and I figured we could be hot together in bed…”

“Is this your twisted way of consoling her Edie??” interrupted Lynette.

“Really Edie,” Susan said, “God what is it with you and married men? First Karl, then Rex…”

“Mayer, don’t start with me,” Edie said defensively, “I’m still pissed that you ran over my foot with your car.”

“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted by Scavo and Mayer, Rex refused. He told me that he may have had an affair but that affair was the biggest mistake of his life. He told me that he had the perfect woman and that he would be damned if he was going to screw that up again. Bree, what I’m trying to say is that he only had eyes for you and he loved you just as much as you loved him.” All of the ladies were taken back by Edie’s statement; in her own twisted way, it seemed to work at comforting Bree.

“And by the way Bree, if you are worried about moving on and dating don’t be. You’ve got a hot ass and no man will resist that. I mean if I were batting for the other team, I’d bang you in a second.” Bree blushed at Edie’s statement and simply replied, “You’re awful.”

The girls never got around to playing poker that afternoon, but none of them noticed. That after noon their friendship became stronger and closer…

“Rex, wait! I need to tell you something. Please wait for me.” Bree found herself in the same place in her dream of Rex. This time Rex stopped and waited for Bree to speak her piece. “Rex, I love you. I needed to tell you that one more time. I didn’t poison you Rex, it was George. And the things I said about you when I reburied you are not true. I said them out of anger. I-I just love you so much.” Bree could feel a tear trickle down her pale cheek.

“I know you love me Bree, and I know you didn’t poison me. I’m afraid that I died without having one last chance to tell you that I love you. I love you Bree…so much.”

“Oh Rex, I don’t know if you’ve been watching but things with Andrew and Danielle are not good...”

“I know,” Rex interrupted, “but they will get better. Andrew and Danielle will come around. You’ve done everything you can to help them and to guide them. Let them make their own mistakes because there isn’t a better way to learn or to grow.”

“I love you Rex.”

“I love you Bree,” Rex said with a smile, “come here, let me show you something.” Rex took Bree’s hands and they drifted off to an area with a beautiful reflective blue lake surrounded by green grass.

“It’s beautiful.” Bree said quietly.

“Yes, it is.” Rex said looking at Bree. Bree sensed that Rex was staring at her and she couldn’t help but blush at the feeling.

“Let me make love to you Bree.” Bree looked at Rex and smiled. Rex leaned in and kissed his wife passionately holding her in his arms. He laid her down on the ground and moved his body on top of hers. They undressed one another slowly, just like they had done on their wedding night. It felt so real for Bree, almost too real. She knew in the back of her mind that this was a dream and that it would eventually end. But for right now it was just them and she wanted to enjoy it as much as she could. The feeling of him entering her was well, divine. She immediately locked her legs around his hips as she kissed and nibbled on his neck. Bree felt her husband groan at the feeling as his thrusts slowly became harder. “Rex…” moaned Bree. It had been so long since she felt like this. Rex’ slow pace was killing Bree, she needed a release. But she didn’t want it to come to soon. Bree moaned loudly again and Rex instinctively thrust into his wife faster and harder. They both reached their climax at the same time; Rex collapsed on top of Bree completely out of breath. “I love you Bree” Rex said as he kissed her lips softly. “I love you Rex and I always will.” Rex rolled off of Bree and turned on his side to face her as she smiled at him.

“Rex, are you going to come to me every night in my dreams?”

“No,” Rex said looking down, “if I did that, you’d never be able to move on and be happy.”

“But I’m happy seeing you in my dreams Rex.” Bree said crying.

“Bree, soon it wouldn’t be enough just to see me in your dreams. This will probably be the last time you see me in your dreams, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t be with you. Do you ever get the feeling that when you’re by yourself in the house that there is another presence there?”

“Yes, I do. Sometimes I’ll walk through the hallway and feel something or when I crawl into bed sometimes I think I can feel you right beside me.”

“That’s because I am. I always know when you feel something because you stop everything that you’re doing and you close your eyes. It almost looks like you are savoring the feeling.

“That’s because I am Rex. I will always savor that feeling of you. Always.”

“I love you Bree. I came back to do what I needed to do. And that was to tell you that I know you love me. I will always love you. And I also want to tell you that it’s alright for you to move on with your life. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

Rex leaned over and passionately kissed his wife knowing that it would be the last time until they met again…which more than likely would be years down the road. But he planned on watching her every minute of everyday until that time came.

Bree awoke from her dream; she still had tears in her eyes. Her right hand reached over and stroked Rex’s side of the bed. She closed her eyes and felt Rex beside her. “I love you too Rex.” And with that, Bree drifted off to sleep feeling Rex not only beside her but in her heart as well.

Return to Me: Chapter 07--"More Than Words" (Part 02 of 02)

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 19:12:23 GMT

Title: Return to Me
Chapter: 07–More Than Words (Part 02 of 02)
Author: breespearls
Rating: PG
Author’s Notes: Chapter’s title comes from the Extreme song More Than Words.

My eternal thanks goes out to all my supporters who are relentless in offering their words of encouragement and leave review after review following each and every chapter. I thought you’d be tired of this little fic after a few chapters, so hearing that you want more does my heart good. :)

Regarding the fic, things have taken a turn with this chapter. Bree now has Danielle and Andrew at home, her relationship with Rex has gone from flinging bitter insults to reluctant acceptance and though she’s still battling certain demons, she’s growing as a person and evolving. The angst and drama is beginning to let up, but before you get too cozy, something bad is going to happen to Bree. I’m just warning you (though not in this chapter).

(Continued from previous post...)

Later that morning just after sunrise, Bree awoke to Andrew’s snores. A precious smile inching across her face, she endeavored to smooth the bits of his hair that were wildly reaching up towards heaven. Seeing they were intractable, like the boy upon whose head they grew, she cheerfully gave in and instead placed an adoring kiss on his nose. He was still asleep and oblivious to everything that went on around him. Watching him sleep so placidly without worries or fears to mar the contented visage that appeared as though it had been painted on his face, Bree thought her heart would burst from the joy that had inundated her heart.

There was no telling what he would think or say when he awakened. It was the only dread Bree harbored where her son was concerned. There was no way to predict Andrew’s reaction upon waking up and finding his mother there, the mother he went nearly three days without seeing. Anticipating a rocky path ahead for them and realizing they may never repair their relationship, Bree took advantage of the present situation to talk to Andrew, praying that some of what she was about to say would stick with him, penetrating the walls of his unconsciousness.

“Andrew...” She wasn’t sure how to begin. Anything she said would sound silly. Besides, he was asleep. He couldn’t actually hear her, right? He probably wouldn’t be able to remember anything. However, things she’d been yearning to say to her son for months began flowing out of her mouth.

“Andrew, the first thing I want to say to you, the most important thing, is I love you. I’m so sorry for leaving you on your own. I thought I couldn’t love you as you should be loved, but I was so wrong. I was dead wrong. Yes, I was hurt and I had little confidence in my ability to be a good parent to you. I felt like I had failed you in some way and that’s why you were acting out, but you didn’t need less of me, you needed more. In essence, you did win because leaving you behind made me understand that you were angry at me not because you didn’t want me around, but because I didn’t give you the things you needed and deserved. I should’ve let you become who you were and not who I wanted you to be. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, Andrew, and I’m going to make more, unfortunately. My biggest mistake was never telling you how proud you make me. I’m so very so proud to be your mother. And if you give me a second chance, I’ll work even harder to make you proud to be my son.

“It’s such a pity that you won’t remember any of this because I think it’s the most important thing I’ve ever said to you.” Searching his face for any sign of consciousness, she was left disappointed. As impractical as it was, she hoped that somewhere in the solemnity that held his mind hostage there was a conscious spark that had absorbed at least some of what she said.

“Bree?”

In the doorway stood Rex with his hands in the pockets of his white overcoat looking grave. She knew instantly why he was there.

“Bree, I’m so sorry but you have to go now. No one wants you to leave, but Andrew still...”

“I know,” she answered in wretched dejection. Planting one last kiss on his brow, she diligently removed herself from the embrace she shared with her son. “Will he be ok, Rex?”

“For the time being, he’s out of pain. The doctor ordered a morphine drip last night when the pain started so that should put him to sleep in the meantime. He has a bacterial infection called osteomyelitis. When he broke his leg, the bone came through his skin and even though the doctor stitched it up and administered antibiotics, some bacteria got into the wound and settled in the bone. His leg was swollen so badly last night the doctor was worried he’d have to amputate it if the circulation was cut off due to damaged blood vessels. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that.”

“That’s good. Um, did you hear any of what I was telling Andrew?”

Nodding his head, Rex begged, “Please don’t be mad. I came to get you and when I heard you talking to him, I didn’t want to interrupt. I wish he’d had been awake to hear it. I think it’s something he needed to hear.”

“I don’t think it matters much anyway. I doubt he heard or will remember anything I’ve said,” she acknowledged sadly.

“Come on, let’s go to the cafeteria. You haven’t eaten in three days and today you’re going to eat something.”

“But...” she started to protest.

“I don’t want to hear it. Doctor’s orders,” he grinned. Together, they walked out of the room and to the cafeteria on the first floor leaving their son behind to sleep.

Little did Bree know, though, that Andrew was still as devious as he used to be, however now his motives were relatively harmless. The fact was, Andrew had awoken two hours earlier than his mom. As he observed her walking out of his room through half-closed eyes while pretending to be engrossed in the realm of dreams, he ardently hoped that his own words had indeed pierced the dense, slumberous haze that blanketed her mind and body while she had rested next to her son.

Once they’d eaten and were on their way back from the cafeteria to the recovery wing, Rex’s cell phone rang. A couple of “yeahs” later, he hung up and a smile was splashed unevenly on his face at Bree.

“Andrew’s awake.”

“Oh, that’s great. Is he ok? Has the pain stopped?” she asked apprehensively.

“He’s asking for you.”

There in the hallway she laughed like she hadn’t laughed in an eternity. Those heavy stones that drowned her heart were disappearing one by one. Everything else could go wrong in her life right now and she wouldn’t care because she was on her way to see her son. Arriving back at room twenty-four, she hesitantly took a couple of steps through the doorway and her eyes fell upon the form of her son laying in repose on his bed, neither smiling nor frowning.

No one said anything for a long while. Andrew stared at her, as though he couldn’t believe it was really her. He recalled her touch, her scent, her words from earlier that morning when he had been in such awful pain, but he was waiting for the real Bree Van De Kamp to show herself, to exemplify her disappointment in him, to embark on a renewed attempt to mold him into someone she could accept, to turn him away in disgust, to voice her displeasure. Most of all, he waited for her to say something to betray everything she had told him when she thought he was asleep and make a liar out of herself. With bated breath he waited.

“Andrew...” she said in a voice strained with emotion and eyes stained with tears. It was almost too much to be in the same room with him after their four-month separation, but Andrew took it mean something entirely different.

“I should’ve known,” he scoffed in absolute despondency.

“Should’ve known what??” Bree asked bewildered.

“I see the way you look at me. You’re disappointed in me. I should’ve known you’d never change. I can’t believe Justin called you. I wish I’d never come back to Fairview.”

Undeterred, Bree walked over to her son and sat down beside him. Sandwiching his hand between hers, she kissed it. “These aren’t tears of disappointment, Andrew. I’ve missed you so much, I just–I can’t... I never thought I’d see you again and right now I’m too happy for words! When you’re released from the hospital, I want you to come home.”

“Really??” After all he’d done to his mother, it was incredible that she’d just let him move back in with her. Something wasn’t sitting well with him. It was all too good to be true. Wary as he was of his mother, he didn’t really have a choice. He’d been living off friends for a few days at a time and then off the streets when his welcome had worn out at his friends’ places, hopping from one location to another, never knowing where his next meal was going to come from or how he would survive another day. Times had been rough and Andrew had done a little bit of everything just to make a some cash, things he was too ashamed to tell his parents. The only reason Justin had called his parents in the first place was because he didn’t have insurance to pay for the hospital stay. Though he was skeptic when it came to returning home with the mother who had apparently turned over a new leaf (or at least she’d seemed to for this hospital visit), the alternative was much, much worse. He saw his mother as a spider, luring her unsuspecting victim farther and farther into her corner until it found itself entangled in a sticky web from which there was no escape. Andrew swore he wouldn’t be that unsuspecting victim. This time around, he wouldn’t give his mother the opportunity to express her disdain of him or confess her inability to give him unequivocal love. He wasn’t going to let her hurt him again and he didn’t trust her not to do it.

The three of them decided then that Andrew would go home to Wisteria Lane when he had fully recovered from the infection that ravaged his leg. It wasn’t until four days had passed that he was allowed to go home and he had to admit that when he stood outside is house, it felt good to soak up the sight of it. Bree and Rex were on either side of him, offering their help to get him up the stairs of the front porch, but he had his crutches to assist him and cautiously climbed each step himself. When he entered the house, he was glad to see that it was exactly the same as he left it. Making his way into the living room, he saw Danielle and Justin holding a cake that read, “Welcome home, Andrew!”

“Surprise!” his sister shouted excitedly, running up to him and throwing her arms around his shoulders, mindful that he had just one good leg to stand on. Andrew, however, wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. His spirits had been somewhat low since he’d agreed to meet with his mother a few days ago. Ever since, he’d been waiting for that other shoe to drop so he didn’t want to get too comfortable and let his guard down.

“Thanks, Danielle. Listen, I’m kind of tired, so I’m going to go lay down for a while.” Seeing Danielle’s smile falter he forced a smile onto his own face and quickly added, “We’ll eat some cake later, ok? So, don’t give into the temptation to eat it all.”

“Ok,” she grinned.

Bree darted over to her son to help him up the stairs, but he told her brusquely, “I’m fine.”

“Darling, these steps are narrow and there are a lot of them. Let me help you.” She tried to grab his arm, but he yanked it away.

“Mom!” he snapped impatiently, causing her to jump backward. The shock registered on her face. Almost immediately, he softened his tone. “Look, I can do it by myself. If I need you, I’ll call.”

He ascended the stairs one step at a time, struggling to angle his crutches in such a way that they would fit securely on the stairs and evenly distribute his weight. If he was afraid of falling, he didn’t say anything. All he wanted to do was retreat to the solitude of his room and get away from his mother.

Bree rationalized his behavior, saying that he was tired or in pain. She waited for him to call her, ready to do anything he asked of her, but he spent the whole day shut in his room never once summoning his mother for anything. Rex visited with his daughter for a while as Justin went upstairs to sit with Andrew, but eventually they said their good-byes and left Bree, Danielle and Andrew alone under the same roof for the very first time in four months. Bree was thrilled that she had both her children together again in her house, however she was also scared because her son was unpredictable. Though he cried out for her comfort the night he was in pain, he had withdrawn all the bridges he’d started to build the next day by his cold, uncaring manner. What could she possibly do to show him that he was one of the most important people in the world to her? She could tell him she loved him, she could make his favorite foods to eat, she could buy him all he wanted, but with Andrew, it wasn’t going to be that easy. He was like his mother in that trust didn’t come simply or hurriedly for him. Gaining his trust was like building a house: one brick at a time. It was up to her to lay the foundation and persist with the construction come rain or shine, hot or cold. This time, she wasn’t going to give up or give in. At dinner time, she went to his room and tried to talk to him.

“Andrew?” she called from the other side of his door. When he didn’t answer, she let herself in thinking he was by chance taking a nap. Far from it, he was laying on the bed staring at the ceiling.

“Andrew, dinner’s ready.”

“I’m not hungry,” he replied flatly.

“But you need to eat, sweetheart. The directions on your medication say that you have to take the pills with food.”

“I know what they say. I took care of myself for four months, I don’t need you to take care of me now.”

Flabbergasted, Bree didn’t know quite what to say. Expecting Andrew to come home and euphorically rejoin the family with no baggage from his life before was clearly not going to happen. His sulky tone of voice was an indication. The reminder that she’d failed her son was a stab to her already fragile heart, but she persevered in repairing the mother-son relationship that was in shambles. Unlike last time, she promised herself to give Andrew time to adjust and, as she allowed Danielle following her own hospital stay, to purge himself of his anger and his frustrations.

“I know you don’t need anyone to take care of you, but I want to. I admit that I wronged you and I’ve paid dearly for that every single day since. I don’t want to do things for you because I have some kind of need to make it up to you. I want to do them because I love you.”

“Too late.” Unremorseful spines shot through his sour words and were hurdled straight at his mother. “I’m just staying here until I can get my cast off and get a job, then I’m out. Out of this house and out of your life. You know, the only reason I came home with you was because Dad wouldn’t let me go home with him.”

She took a deep breath to steady the emotions that had just suffered their first assault. “It’s ok to be upset, Andrew, for everything that I’ve done to you, but do you think you can ever forgive me?” Bree pleaded.

“Forgive you for everything??” he scoffed. “Such as turning me away and being embarrassed by the fact that I’m gay? For forcing my dad to go into hiding for a year because you picked a psycho to date to get even with him because he cheated on you for being the person you are? For hitting me while you were drunk? For sabotaging my chance to go live with Grandpa and Grandma and having a chance at a normal life away from you? That’s a tall order and the last time I checked, Santa Claus isn’t real. So, would you get out of my room?”

Bree stood there soundlessly rooted to the ground. A sphere of anguish closed in on her, robbing her of the breath she needed to maintain her equilibrium. The longer she stayed in Andrew’s presence, the more she felt sanity sliding away from her. She thought for sure things would be at least a little different once Andrew came home, once she professed her guilt and begged his forgiveness. Like always, though, he couldn’t wait to get as far away from her as possible.

“I’m–I’m sorry you feel that way,” she stammered as she exited his room quietly and shut the door. Halfway down the hall, a bolt of courage hit her and she turned around, marched back into his room and stood her ground defiantly. “I am your mother and no one is going to love you like I do. You can treat me as lousy as you want and I will still love you. You have tried my patience, stepped all over my heart and caused me pain, but I still love you and I hope that there will come a day when you can love me just the same. I confess that I have said things and done things, things that have probably made you feel that I don’t love you, and I’m so sorry. But I’m trying. You’re not even making an effort! So, if you want to lay there and feel sorry for yourself, fine. I don’t feel sorry for you, Andrew, because if you’re smart enough to survive four months on your own, you’re smart enough to find away to meet me in the middle so we can work through our problems. I’m not saying we have to forgive and forget everything that has happened between us this very instant, but if you’re willing to try, I will wait on you!” Not waiting for a response, she spun around and slammed his bedroom door so hard the walls of the house shook.

Out of breath, she leaned against the wall and sunk to her feet going over everything she just said. It was like a dream in which she hadn’t felt control over her mouth, but somehow, she just knew what to say. Dealing with her embittered son was going to take a generous amount of longanimity and though Bree had encountered her first test, which she failed miserably, she resolved that next time she wouldn’t stand there in idle complacence without putting up some kind of fight. There was a scant month until his cast would be taken off and in that period, she would have to work hard to win back Andrew’s affections and prove to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that the thought of him brought her nothing but joy. If he only knew how much she loved him and thought about him everyday, he wouldn’t have to question her motivation for wanting to bring him dinner and give him his medicine and make sure he was comfortable and pain-free. Words weren’t going to be sufficient, she was going to have to show him that she was sorry. She prayed that it would be enough to make him change his decision about leaving.

Several days elapsed without Andrew and Bree exchanging much more than a few, punctuated words. Andrew wasn’t again as rude as he had been to his mother that first evening at home, but he wasn’t overly courteous. Bree gave him space, allowing him to readjust to home life and being around her and his sister. He really only opened up and smiled was when Rex visited. Since Andrew was largely homebound, Bree let her ex-husband see the children at her house. Jealousy surfaced within Bree each time she saw her son laughing and chatting on and on with his father. She realized it was abhorrent to feel that way and she admonished herself for having such bad thoughts, but she had been trying so hard to reach Andrew and all Rex had to do was show up and he had Andrew in the palm of his hand. Tirelessly and without complaint, Bree cooked meals that included Andrew’s favorite foods and carried each of them on a tray to his room three times a day. Also, she promptly administered his medication the times when he was due another dose, she laid his clothes out for him, she changed his bedding and brought him magazines and video games when he was bored. It was hard to restrain herself from throwing her arms around him or attempting to strike up a conversation, but if she had tried, he would’ve turned a deaf ear to what she had to say making the effort ineffectual. Andrew was responsible for making the first move and Bree was waiting for him.

One night as dinner was nearly ready, Bree was preparing a tray to take to Andrew when, to her amazement, he’d come downstairs for dinner. Her mouth wide open and spoon midair, she gaped as he silently hobbled on crutches over to the table and sat down. Quickening her pace, she sat dinner on the table and she and her daughter delightfully joined him. As she started to fix him a plate of food, he gently took the plate from her and helped himself, allowing his mother to take a seat. He then cut the roast into several pieces for everyone and passed the salt to his mother even though she’d asked Danielle to do so. This simple yet significant event was momentous for the sake of progress. Yes, it was a baby step, but it let Bree know there was a flicker of hope in the blinding mist that divided them. Overjoyed at Andrew for taking that first step on the path to forgiveness, which would become well traveled for sure, she sent him a sincere smile that radiated love and gratitude. He briefly acknowledged her with a curt nod of his head before he resumed eating his food.

After the meal was over, Danielle aided her mother in clearing the dishes and leftover food from the table while Andrew proceeded into the living room. Sinking down onto the couch, he flipped indifferently through the channels on television in an attempt to find something to watch. Nothing looked particularly engaging so he put it on one of his favorite channels in hopes that something he liked would come on soon. Though he tried to take an interest in the program that was currently airing, he was distracted by sounds of laughter bouncing fervidly from the kitchen. He heard Danielle talking in faint tones, her words muffled by the distance between her location and his, followed by his mother’s rich, warm laugh which reverberated throughout the house. Never before could he recall hearing such a true, genuine sound come from the Bree Van De Kamp he thought he knew so well. Suspicious and curious, he vacated his seat and headed in the direction of his mother and sister. From a stationary position just outside the room, he cautiously peeked in at the happy scene and was hit full force with a feeling of homey cheerfulness, a feeling that was largely missing from his memories of home that flooded his mind when he thought of his mother. He saw his sister basking in the attention their mother was lavishing on her. Danielle stood at the sink washing dishes and their mother was behind her running her fingers through her hair in sublime adoration. Without so much as a warning, Danielle unexpectedly took a handful of excess soap suds from the sink and flung them over her shoulder at Bree, causing both of them to collapse in giggles. To Andrew’s surprise, his mother didn’t flinch or scold his sister for causing such a mess, but rather scooped up her own suds and blew them at her daughter. Danielle put her arms up to screen her face permitting Bree to take advantage of her youngest child’s unprotected ticklish spots and launched a merciless attack on them.

“Mom!” Danielle managed to scream as she simultaneously cackled, soap suds dotting her hair in a sporadic pattern.

When Bree was satisfied, she relented and pulled her daughter in for a hug and a kiss to her cheek. Upon raising her face, she saw Andrew at the door watching them intently.

“Do you want to help us wash dishes?” she asked, hoping her son would join them.

Andrew shook his head and started for the stairs, but Bree caught up to him before he began his ascent. Physically turning him to face her, she wrapped him in a warm hug. Thoroughly stupefied by the gesture, he was even more stunned when he felt himself returning the hug and enjoying it. He also received a kiss to the cheek and as she gazed at her son with an overwhelming amount of love in her eyes, she stroked the side of his head. Not wanting to seem to needy or too forgiving for one day, he abruptly broke the contact with his mother and fled upstairs. Once in his room, he retrieved a picture of his mother he kept in the bottom of his bureau drawer and stared at it for hours. Loathe to admit it, he was glad to be home.

With Andrew in the hospital and his subsequent homecoming, Bree hadn’t been able to mentally revisit the talk Rex and she had the morning before discovering their son was at Fairview Hospital. During the next couple of days, she pondered her words to her ex-husband, hearing herself say to him they would never work as a couple. She’d almost given in to him, though. He’d almost convinced her to go back to him, to give their relationship another chance and she’d come close to doing it. It was luck that the moment before she ran out the door Justin had called with news of Andrew. He may have prevented her from making a big mistake. It wasn’t that she hated Rex, but they only brought each other misery and sorrow. Rex was basically a good, decent man capable of being the finest, most caring and romantic gentleman, nevertheless when they were in each other’s company, cruelty and savagery pushed them into saying abhorrent things that to pardon would be obscene. They were the antithesis of the “perfect couple” and it saddened Bree because for almost twenty years they were a good couple. There had been rough times and there had been wonderful times. Most of all, they’d loved one another.

A part of Bree wished she’d yielded to the impulses that implored her to run after her ex-husband that Saturday. After he’d kissed her, she realized what she’d been missing from her life. She held no uncertainty that Rex didn’t have some type of feelings for her, but they’d just been through a divorce so it could only be expected for both parties to attempt to recapture a whisper of the feelings that had withered into extinction. There had been a period in which Bree and Rex lived in the spring and summer of their love, but now winter had turned it into a frozen reminder of a relationship that once existed. A heavy snow, apathetic to the ties that continued to link the pair, densely covered all the paths that connected them, thus making it impossible for the couple to find their way back to one another. They drifted aimlessly, lost in the snow, coming so close yet missing that for which they subconsciously and endlessly searched. The very thing that poisoned their minds against a relationship was the very thing that haunted their dreams, taunting them with what they couldn’t have: each other.

Instinct was something that Bree wasn’t so good at. Her motherly instincts were for the most part on par, however when it came to her love life, she was illiterate. Her prudish, altruistic nature had never allowed her to put aside anything for the sake of personal happiness. Everything she’d done was out of sense of duty. Even sex had always seemed perfunctory, to be performed out of some marital obligation and to bring forth children. Always perfectly in control of herself, desire was a thing to be curbed and disregarded. Not to say she never had her fair share of lusty thoughts or deeds, but she could never seem to let loose and give up control for personal pleasure.

Bringing Rex back into her life would be a mistake, she decided. There was a little voice in the far reaches of her mind that second guessed her every decision involving Rex, but she did the best she could to silence them. Her life had to go on without him. Facing the memory of him every day was getting to be too painful to bear. Each time she saw the boxes sitting in her living room floor, she was instantly reminded of a story or anecdote that was inevitably about him. Would it always be this hard? Would she never cease to automatically recall these little stories when she saw something that caused her to think of Rex? How people managed to survive divorce and retain their sanity was beyond Bree!

Instead of looking at those dratted boxes any longer, she promptly loaded them into her car and drove them to Rex’s condo. Not knowing if he was home as she hadn’t phoned him first, she planned to leave them on his door step if she had to. Anything just to get them out of her house! Carrying a box in her arms, she trekked to the front door and pressed the doorbell. Not more than the seconds had passed when Rex answered.

“Bree!” he exclaimed in surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you!”

“I know I should’ve called, how rude of me not to.”

“No, it’s ok. What’s this?” he asked, indicating the box she held in her arms.

She was about to answer when she heard another woman’s voice calling from inside the condominium. It was Amber. “Rex, you’d better tell me what you want for dinner!”

Upon hearing the shrill voice of a woman in Rex’s home, Bree froze. She didn’t know why, but the thought of another woman in his home making him dinner, an act so intimate which had been reserved just for her for two decades, made the need to cry arise from within her. She wanted to push passed him and find the other woman that had taken her place and scream at her! Scream until her throat was raw and her voice crackled and maybe break a few dishes to, for good measure. But then Bree remembered why she was there in the first place. It was so she could avoid scenes like this in the future.

Rex sighed and rolled his eyes. “Hang on, I’ll be there in a minute!” Closing the door behind him, he stood on his front porch. “I’m sorry, she’s trying to learn how to cook, but she’s not doing such a good job.” He chuckled ruefully.

Bree cleared her throat and swallowed a lump that had formed there. “Well, um, maybe you should go back in and, um, tell her you’ll be wanting roasted chicken with a splash of lemon and, um, garlic mashed potatoes.”

Crossing his arms, he looked at her in astonishment and laughed softly as he voiced his query, “How did you know I was in the mood for chicken and mashed potatoes?”

Not able to breath under his fierce scrutiny, she turned her head. “Oh... It’s Wednesday. You always want chicken on Wednesday and you always preferred mashed potatoes with chicken.”

“You know me so well...”

“Yes, well, here.” She shoved the box in his hands to deflect any more such questions of a personal nature. “I have four more out in the car, if you wouldn’t mind helping me...”

“No, not at all,” he replied absentmindedly.

When all five boxes sat on the porch, Bree knew her work was done. Any trace of Rex was now gone from her house and from her life. The sigh of relief never came, though. The fact was, she didn’t feel any different than she did before. Maybe it took some time.

“Here’s everything of yours. Trophies, pictures, papers, certificates, journals, awards... Even pens. Absolutely everything.” She wistfully glimpsed at the boxes.

“Everything, Bree?” he asked, skepticism dancing around his words.

“Yes, why?”

“You still wear my ring on your finger.”

Looking down at the platinum band with the pristine diamond sparkling madly at its center, she inadvertently caught a glare of something on Rex’s hand that reflected the sunlight and countered, “So, do you. When were you going to take it off?”

“When you take yours off.”

Bree left Rex’s condo waiting to feel a difference in her life. She half expected mountain tops to crumble or neon signs to flash “It’s officially over. You can now move on with your life,” but she was disappointed. In almost every aspect of her being, she was happy, all save for one area. Her children were the source of much of her joy; her relationship with her daughter was better than it had been in a long time and Andrew and she were working to repair that which had been broken and were making slow, but steady progress. Her friends were a constant source of support and for that she was eternally grateful. The only thing she lacked was her husband and as she went about her daily chores and duties, she recalled when she used to do them with him in mind. Despite what she’d told herself, she missed Rex Van De Kamp.

That night, just before she crawled into bed, she stood in the darkness of her room fingering her wedding ring thinking about the first time he’d slipped it on her shaking finger. Gently removing it, she sat it atop her nightstand in front of a framed picture of Rex she used to cry over when she thought him dead. She let her fingers run their tips deftly over his face as though it was the finest silk as she murmured, “I love you.”

On the other side of town, in his big, lonely bed, cold without love or passion to fill the emptiness, Rex rolled his wedding band with his thumb and forefinger, gazing thoughtfully at it. Bree was a conundrum. One minute it seemed as if she wanted to salvage their relationship and the next she acted as though she couldn’t get far enough from him. His poor heart. There were some things that surgery and medication couldn’t fix. He adamantly refused to expel the memories of her from his mind and as long as he breathed, that’s where she would stay. Never would he let her go. As sleep encroached his mind, he replaced his ring on his finger as he heard Bree’s voice recite the most important words uttered on their wedding day: “Til death do us part.”

Return to Me: Chapter 07--"More Than Words" (Part 01 of 02)

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 18:57:18 GMT

Title: Return to Me
Chapter: 07–More Than Words (Part 01 of 02)
Author: breespearls
Rating: PG
Author’s Notes: Chapter’s title comes from the Extreme song More Than Words.

My eternal thanks goes out to all my supporters who are relentless in offering their words of encouragement and leave review after review following each and every chapter. I thought you’d be tired of this little fic after a few chapters, so hearing that you want more does my heart good. :)

Regarding the fic, things have taken a turn with this chapter. Bree now has Danielle and Andrew at home, her relationship with Rex has gone from flinging bitter insults to reluctant acceptance and though she’s still battling certain demons, she’s growing as a person and evolving. The angst and drama is beginning to let up, but before you get too cozy, something bad is going to happen to Bree. I’m just warning you (though not in this chapter).

The corridors of Fairview Hospital were aloof, endless chasms decorated with doors leading to everywhere but where Bree desperately wanted to be. An alacritous “click, click” sound ricocheted off the white walls of the hollow hallway as the spinous heels of her shoes pounded ruthlessly against the tiled floors in synchronization with the disquieted heart which pounded against the wall of her chest. Her mind was focused solely on the son who’d been absent from her life for four months. All she wanted to do was see him, hold him and know he was alive and in one piece. Every possible scenario involving that first glimpse of Andrew after their long separation ran through her mind like a kaleidoscope. In vain, she tried to imagine what she should say to him, but nothing seemed to properly convey the emotions that were ripping through her body this very moment. So buried into her own chaotic thoughts was Bree that she didn’t notice Rex reach out and take her hand in his.

Together, the apprehensive parents maneuvered their way to the second floor waiting room where they were met by Justin, who’d called Andrew’s mother only twenty minutes before.

“Mr. Van De Kamp, Mrs. Van De Kamp,” he greeted in a solemn manner, politely shaking Rex’s hand.

“Where is he, Justin?” Bree asked worriedly. Any second now, she feared she would erupt into tears if she didn’t get to see her son.

“Listen, I wasn’t suppose to call you...”

“What do you mean?” Rex inquired in curiosity.

“Andrew didn’t want me to call you, but I didn’t know what else to do.” Neither Bree nor Rex understood what Justin meant and were getting frustrated by his cryptic replies. On top of the anxiety she was experiencing, she wasn’t in the mood to solve puzzles.

“Where is he, Justin??” she asked, emphasizing each word through a clenched jaw. If he didn’t tell her, she would implode.

“He’s, um, in the recovery wing, room twenty-four. But you can’t go in there! He made me swear that I wouldn’t call you!”

As the last words slipped through his mouth, Bree swiftly spun around and started heading toward the recovery wing, leaving Rex behind with Justin. Once he realized she’d taken off, he had to jog to catch up with her.

“Bree, wait a minute!” he said when he finally reached his ex-wife. “You can’t just go barging in there. Maybe we should tell a nurse to let Andrew know we want to see him.”

“No,” she snapped.

“Bree... Bree!” Rex grabbed her by the arms, effectively stopping her.

“Rex, let go...”

“Listen to me, Bree...”

“Rex, please let me go!” she pleaded and sobbed, trying to yank herself from his grasp. It broke Rex’s heart. Tears that she tried so hard to contain started pouring from her eyes and he pulled her close to him, wrapping his arms around her shaking body. To his immense relief, she clung willingly to him. He was mute as he let her unload the burdens she’d been carrying around since she’d forced Andrew out of the house and onto his own.

“I haven’t seen him in four months! I packed his things and I dropped him off in the middle of nowhere. What kind of mother does that to her own child?? I was too busy trying to straighten out my own life that I ignored my son’s needs! And rather than have patience and try to help him, I dump him like a litter of unwanted kittens!”

Rex’s arms tightened and he stroked Bree’s hair, much like he would do to soothe a fussy child. “Shhhh, it’s going to be ok. We’ll get to see Andrew, but honey, you can’t burst into his room unannounced. What if he calls security? If they have to escort you out of the hospital, you won’t be allowed back.”

Against his sweatshirt, she cried a tearful lamentation that for months had eaten at her soul and exacerbated the blatant void that grew with each day that passed without hearing from her son, “I have to see him, Rex. If only for five minutes, just to tell him that I love him and that I’m so sorry for letting him down.”

“We’ll go talk to the nurse and have her let him know that we’re here to see him. But Bree, it’s up to Andrew then. Ok?”

There was nothing left to say so she soundlessly nodded her head. Taking her hand once again, Rex led her to the nurse’s station which was positioned in front of the entrance to the recovery wing.

“Excuse me...?” he said loudly, hoping to get the attention of a nurse. Promptly, one came to the desk.

“Dr. Van De Kamp, it’s nice to see you!” A pretty, young nurse named Marla recognized him. “I’m sure you’re here to see your son, is that correct? We’ve been taking good care of Andrew since he’s been here.”

“How long has he been here??” questioned Bree concernedly.

“You must be his mother. It’s a pleasure to meet you. To answer your question, he’s been here about five days.”

“Five days?!” she exclaimed, horrified that Andrew had once again slipped so easily by her undetected. What kind of horrible mother was she?? “Why didn’t someone call me or his father?? What’s wrong with him?!”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Van De Kamp, but because Andrew’s eighteen and a legal adult, I can’t divulge any more information.”

Observing Bree on the brink of tearing someone’s head off, he cut in hastily and assured the nurse, “Don’t worry, Marla, we understand. Would you tell him that his parents would like to see him?”

“Yes, Dr. Van De Kamp,” she smiled before trotting off to Andrew’s room.

After she left her desk, Bree turned to Rex, an expression of outrage on her face. “Five days, Rex! Five days! Why are we just hearing about it now?! God, he’s been alone all this time!”

“He’s not been alone, he’s had Justin with him.”

“You work here, for God’s sakes! How could you not know your own son was here?!”

Rex allowed Bree to criticize him to her heart’s content for he knew that she was a mother in distress, sick to her stomach over Andrew. He wished he could steal her pain from her, but he was powerless to do so. The only comfort he could offer was to stand by her side and convince her that everything would be fine.

Not more than five minutes later, Marla returned to the desk. This time she wasn’t smiling.

“I talked to Andrew and, uh, well...” To the Van De Kamps, Marla seemed to be quite uncomfortable and a bit embarrassed to be having this conversation with them. “Well, he said that Dr. Van De Kamp could come back but under no circumstances did he want to see his mother.” The hesitant nurse carefully avoided looking at Bree, who was beyond devastated at being turned away by her son. Her face fell and her heart was burdened with grief that metastasized the longer she was kept away from Andrew. At least Rex would be able to see their son and that provided her with some comfort.

“Go on, Rex. Go see Andrew,” she urged him stoically.

“I’m terribly sorry, Bree. I promise I’ll talk to him,” he told her apologetically. Rex wanted to reunite with their son as much as Bree did, but upon seeing her so distraught, and knowing she was doing her best at trying to hide it, he didn’t want to leave her side.

“I know. Just tell Andrew for me that I love him and I never stopped loving him and that I want him to come home after he’s out of the hospital. Would you do that for me?”

“Of course,” he nodded before his reluctant departure for Andrew’s room.

There was a row of chairs that sat opposite the entrance of the recovery wing and though Bree tried sitting in one of them, she was too fretful to stay put for more than two minutes at a time. Berating herself for turning her back on the only son she had, she wished she could undo that day as well as all the other hardships they’d endured the last couple of years. Perhaps she could’ve done more to help him; maybe if she had paid more attention to him, maybe if she hadn’t given up on him they all might not be in this situation. Andrew could be as stubborn as his mother, which meant it might be a long time before he decided to grace her with his presence. The most important thing right now was knowing that he would be ok. She didn’t even know why he was in the hospital, but it didn’t seem to be life-threatening, which she was thankful for.

While Rex was visiting Andrew, time slowed to a lackadaisical crawl for Bree. The universe was at an apparent standstill as Bree repeatedly wrung her hands, nervous of the uncertainty that lay ahead. Since she had enough time to kill, she traveled back in time mentally to ascertain exactly when everything started going wrong with Andrew. He hadn’t always been as angry a person as he had become. As a child he’d been mischievous, like any other boy, but he was always ready for a cuddle and a kiss from the mother who he’d always been so intent on pleasing. All he ever asked was for his mother to be proud of him and give him praise for his accomplishments no matter how small and insignificant the triumph. Had she been the type of mother to show her children how proud she was of them? Probably not. Like Rex had pointed out on more than one occasion, she had transformed into a repressed, unemotional robot. That was the perception she wished for others to have about her and it eventually carried over to her family. If her children rebelled, it was to get some kind of reaction out of their seemingly cold, uncaring, hard-to-please mother.

An hour later, Rex emerged with a sheen of mist coating his eyes. Hopeful, Bree bolted out of her seat and met him halfway between the entrance and where she had been sitting.

“Well, how is he? Why is he in the hospital?”

“He’s doing fine. He’s got a badly broken leg, what orthopedic surgeons would call a compound multi-fragmentary fracture. James Phillips, his doctor and one of the best orthopedic surgeons around, performed surgery the other day to insert pins into the bones to hold the broken pieces together. His recovery’s going very well, though. He’s... God,” Rex sighed and wiped his eyes with his hands. “I haven’t seen him in so long. I’ve missed him so much. I can’t describe to you how it felt to see him.”

A strangled cry threatened to escape through the gate of quivering lips that barely suppressed the emotion that flowed from her heart like a waterfall. “I can’t believe he’s here in Fairview. Oh my heavens! I don’t think I care so much that he hates me just as long he’s healthy and on the mend.

“How did he break his leg?”

“He didn’t want to talk about it. I’m sure we’ll find out in time.” Expectantly, Bree peered at Rex and he knew what she was going to ask next. To spare her, he answered her question before it had the chance to be verbalized and shot down.

“I’m sorry, Bree. I talked to Andrew, I told him what you asked me, but he doesn’t want to see you.”

“I see.” Easing herself into a chair, she exhaled deeply. Her ex-husband sat besides her and took her hand.

“You know how he is, honey. When he wants something, he’ll be asking for you. Give him some time, he’ll come around. I’m sure he missed you just as much as you missed him. How could he not?”

Bree couldn’t speak. Her voice was shadowed by the overwhelming thoughts and feelings that tore through her body like a tornado. The best she could manage was a nod lest she fall apart.

“It looks like he’s doing well. Justin’s here if he needs anything and he has our cell numbers. I suppose we should be going.”

Shaking her head, she replied, “You go on, I’m staying here.”

“Honey,” Rex said with gentleness, sensitive to Bree’s feelings that were exposed like an open sore. “Andrew’s pretty set on not seeing you today, you wouldn’t be doing yourself any good by sitting out here. You can wait just as comfortably at home. I’ll be coming to work in a couple of hours, if he changes his mind, I’ll call you.”

“I can’t go home. Not now. Not when he’s just a few feet from me. I spent the better part of four months not knowing where he was, thinking he could be hundreds of miles from me, wondering if he was dead or alive. Now that I know where he is, I want to stay close, even if I can’t be with him. I’m not leaving until he does.”

“I wish you’d change your mind. You could be waiting for a long time. Listen, just give me a few more tries, maybe I can talk him into seeing you. Meanwhile, you go home and wait.”

“No!” she objected, resolute in her stance. “I appreciate you talking to Andrew on my behalf, but I’m afraid that you could talk until you’re blue in the face and bribe him with a car and he still wouldn’t budge. I’m going to stay here and I don’t care how long it takes.” Bree’s insistence only made Rex feel more helpless. If only his son and his ex-wife would each relent a small bit, he wouldn’t have to act the clueless arbitrator. Though he was wary of leaving Bree to her own devices, he had no other choice but to do so as he still had to shower and dress for work.

“I’ll drop by the house and tell Danielle what’s going on. I told her I’d drive her to work today. My shift begins at noon, so I’ll drop by and see you and Andrew. If you need anything, don’t think twice about calling me.”

“Thank you, Rex.”

Something didn’t feel right to Rex as he stood there gazing awkwardly at Bree. After saying his good-byes, he felt odd about simply walking away. There was a strange nagging sensation that was prompting him to complete the scene. His eyes locked with Bree’s and as he stared into those dark pools encircled with green, he saw something there he hadn’t seen once in the months since he returned to his family: trust. She was sharing with him her deepest fears and pain and wordlessly begging for his support. The Bree he’d wanted to divorce a year and a half ago was gradually shedding her thick skin to reveal a human side that needed affection and reassurance. Instantly, he understood what was lacking. Forgetting they were no longer a married couple, he pulled Bree tenderly against him and placed a simple, chaste kiss on her cheek. It was a declaration, not of love, but of a partnership of mutual support and amiability. Should she suffer anguish of any kind, Rex was making it known to her that she wouldn’t have to do so alone, that he would be her partner, to share in the afflictions foisted upon her by their common path in life. Appearing to interpret the complexity behind such an uncomplicated gesture, Bree snaked her arms around her ex-husband and embraced him, letting neither air nor light nor sound come between their bodies.

“Tell Danielle to come see her brother. He’d want to see her.”

“I will.” Tearing himself from his ex-wife, he trailed out of the waiting area and out of Bree’s sight.

Lonesome and suddenly tired, Bree returned to her seat wondering when her son would soften his rigid stance and allow his mother back into his life. If only he’d give her another chance, she would make things right. She worried that maybe it was too late. For most of his eighteen years on Earth he’d lived in a perfectionist’s hell that had been thrust upon his father and his sister by his mother. Rex and she had talked about forgiveness earlier that morning and she hoped that her statement to him could be proven wrong, that there was indeed enough forgiveness to erase the animosity and hurt caused by ignorant, damaging decisions. While Andrew made up his mind about whether to see his mother or not, she would wait for him with the patience that had eluded her at their last meeting.

True to his word, during his shift, Rex came to see Andrew and stopped to update Bree on his condition. They didn’t bother to discuss the idea of Bree visiting her son because she knew Andrew hadn’t altered his decision. If and when he did, Bree was certain she’d feel it in her heart and at that point in the day, her heart felt like it was weighed down with heavy stones. Thirteen hours elapsed and Bree continued her vigil in the waiting room. Prior to going home, Rex came to see her once again. This time he didn’t check on Andrew, rather he took a seat next to his ex-wife.

“I wish you would reconsider...”

“I’m not moving.”

“I see that.”

When she turned to look at him, she had to admit that he was a handsome man, always had been. He wore his white doctor’s coat over a blue dress shirt and matching silk tie with black slacks. A stethoscope was carelessly slung around his neck. Smiling, it became clear to her just how proud of him she was for all that he’d accomplished in life, not only for himself, but for his family. The only change she would make–and it was only small change–would be to straighten the lapels on his coat. Other than that, he was a sight of perfection, a perfection so effortless it seemed unfair.

Gingerly taking hold of his crooked lapels, she rearranged them until they were a mirror image of one another, beaming with a pride Rex didn’t comprehend. “Rex Van De Kamp, you’re a very handsome sight. You look exactly how a doctor should look.” After pressing on the cotton fabric a little here and a little there, she was finished.

Chuckling, he responded as he inspected Bree’s handiwork, “Oh, really? And how’s that?”

“Professional, distinguished, intelligent, successful, competent...”

“Can I quote you on that for my business card?” he asked, visibly amused and touched at the same time.

“Absolutely. If I may ask, what do you presently have printed on your business cards?” she inquired in playfulness.

“Dr. Rex Van De Kamp, MD. Are you absolutely sure you made the right choice?”

“Rex!” He delighted in her reaction, completely thrilled to be making her smile and laugh amid the tense situation with Andrew. He liked it when she laughed because she appeared so natural and alive. It was something he hadn’t gotten to see a lot of. With each passing year, the number of instances in which Bree laughed, truly laughed, had waned, which was a pity because Rex thought the look and the sound suited her.

When the moment couldn’t seem to get any more perfect, it all collapsed into ruin when Rex’s cell phone began ringing. Flashing Bree a contrite look, he dug into the pockets of his coat to retrieve his cell.

“Hello?”

From where she sat, she could hear a distinctive, high-pitched voice being emitted from the phone. The words being spewed a mile a minute in Rex’s ear were indistinguishable, but she could tell the other party didn’t sound too pleased. The conversation lasted a mere two minutes before Rex hung up.

“That was Amber,” he informed her insipidly. “We’re suppose to go out to dinner and see a movie when I get off work.”

“Ahh,” Bree voiced her disappointment as she turned away from him. Her one good moment in a dismal day trampled recklessly by Rex’s two-bit tart.

“I suppose I should get going,” he stood up in discernible abruptness. “If there’s any change...”

“...I’ll call you.”

“Bye, Bree.”

“Bye.”

Gloomily, she watched Rex as he left the waiting area and disappeared down the hall.
All her life, people had been walking away from her, leaving her to wonder what was so undesirable about her that no one wanted to be in her company for very long. Grateful that Rex’s presence had helped pass twenty minutes of a day that had trudged endlessly on, she knew she was in for more of the same as the night wore on. The kind nurse that had taken over for Marla at the nurse’s station had apparently been told of Bree’s plight as she brought the troubled mother the largest cup of coffee the hospital cafeteria supplied. About two in the morning, Bree drifted, against her will, into a short, fitful sleep. When she awoke, the first thing she did was go over to the nurse’s station and ask about Andrew. Satisfied that he was continuing to make great progress with his broken leg, she went to the restroom to freshen up which basically consisted of splashing some water on her face and removing the day-old make-up that had collected in the creases around her eyes and mouth. Unhappy with her appearance, there was nothing she could do about it currently. It had been a lifetime ago since she’d been seen in public without make-up enhancing her already pretty features. The flawless part and her trademark flip had given way to dull, flat hair that appeared to simply sit on her head, which didn’t please Bree, either.

A day later, Bree was still waiting to hear from her son, her defenses starting to crumble and her confidence ebbing. She put herself through a rigorous interrogation concerning her parenting skills, her future with her children and her ability to love and nurture them. Night fell on her hope while the sun rose on her self-doubt, that cancerous demon that led her to alcohol, who’d shoved it down her throat each time she required the use of her inner strength. Distrust of her own capabilities slithered its way into her head, causing old patterns to resurface. Not only did she have to deal with her son’s present condition, but she had to battle with her desire to drown the voices in her head with alcohol. Vicious thoughts crammed her mind, overloading it with their venom. Why couldn’t they stop? Why wouldn’t they leave her alone so she could worry about Andrew?

Pacing the room, she tried to deflect her thoughts by concentrating on other things. Sometimes that meant reciting recipes from memory, or listing all the appliances she wanted in alphabetical order, or staring blankly out the window at nothing in particular while she wrung her hands and twisted her hair around her finger in thoughtful reflection. She even took a stab at trying to get interested in reading the articles from the three-year old magazines that were flung haphazardly on the room’s tables. The whole time she was at the hospital, Bree never left the confines of that room, not even to eat. The growl in her stomach became more pronounced as the hours lurked along and at times her tongue cried for relief, but still she was adamant that she wouldn’t leave until her son was able to. When four o’clock in the afternoon rolled around, Rex surprised her by stopping by, as dashingly dressed as the previous day. He checked on Andrew, told Bree what had passed between them and watched the familiar dispirited expression cross Bree’s face as he yet again had to tell her that Andrew didn’t wish to see her. In the end, Bree was still unmoving in her decision to keep her place in the waiting room, though no one could accuse Rex of not trying to get Bree to go home or at least to eat something. However, she did break down and request that he bring her something to drink.

A few minutes after midnight, Bree was struggling to stay awake when out of nowhere an alarm went off from inside the recovery wing. It didn’t even dawn on her that it could have something to do with Andrew, but every hair she possessed stood at attention when she heard one of the nurses run off yelling, “We need a doctor in room twenty-four, stat!”

Ice ran through her veins like sharp razors and her heart convulsed mercilessly in its place.

“Oh my God, that’s Andrew’s room!” breathed Bree in a panic. Calling Rex hadn’t even entered her mind, all she could think about was her child. Throwing all rules and regulations violently and carelessly aside, Bree ran into the recovery wing, weaving through the horde of doctors and nurses that were littering the hall. One of the nurses at the nurses station recognized Bree and attempted to run after, shouting her name, but Bree wouldn’t stop. She had to get to her son. They could call the police and have her escorted from the property, she didn’t care. There was one thing on her mind and heeding the rules wasn’t it. As she ran, the noises around her faded into the background and all she could hear was the rush of blood in her ears, its flow propelled by the rapid speed at which her heart beat. The world around her seemed to be moving in slow motion. Glancing at the room numbers posted just above the doors, she ran until she saw ‘24'. Unconcerned that she hadn’t obtained anyone’s permission, she boldly entered to search for Andrew. Though she couldn’t see him through the entourage of doctors and nurses that surrounded the bed, she heard his deafening, high-pitched screams.

“It hurts!!” he cried.

Instinctively, Bree pushed herself between two medical attendants flanking the right side of the bed and gazed lovingly down at her son, enraptured by the feeling of seeing him but horrified of what was happening to him. At first, he didn’t see her as his eyes were closed tightly in the agonizing pain he was experiencing, but as soon as Bree laid a tender hand atop his head, he recognized the familiarity of the feel and his eyes flew open. They showed pure terror.

“It’s going to be ok, Andrew,” she smiled down at him with a serenity that had previously evaded her. She didn’t know where the sudden calmness came from, but she was glad for Andrew’s sake that she was able to be so composed. “Don’t worry, they’ll take care of you,” she cooed in a soothing lilt as she had done when he was a young child. Stroking his hair, damp from his unsuccessful efforts at quelling his own pain, her gaze never left him. He stared up at her and big tears fell down his flushed cheeks in recognition.

“Mama!” his voice was stifled by the excruciating pain in his leg that felt like thousands of little needles stabbing his flesh from within over and over again, resulting in a burning sensation shooting upward to his thigh. “It hurts, it hurts so bad...” he ended in a shaky whisper. Talking too loudly made it hurt even worse.

“I know, baby, I know. Don’t think about the pain, Andrew. Look at me, ok? Don’t look at the doctors.”

Andrew managed a clipped nod, but gritted his teeth, growled, moaned and shrieked, all in an attempt to lessen his suffering, but it was to no avail. Bree continued with stroking the top of his head.

“You’re doing great, darling. They’ll stop the pain. You’re managing just fine. You know what? I’m so proud of you, Andrew. So very proud.”

At this point, Andrew grabbed Bree’s hand and squeezed with all his strength and whimpered.

“Squeeze all you want, you won’t hurt me,” she encouraged him over his screams.

“Mama, when will it end??! Can’t you make it stop?!” She had to restrain herself from scooping him up into her arms in a mother’s effort to shield him from all the bad things she’d promised to protect him from the day he was born. Instantly, the fire that eluded her earlier returned and she silently declared that she was his mother and she would protect him at all costs. Nothing would separate her from Andrew again. He was her son and she was his mother. It would require more than a grudge and anger to break the bond she had forged with him upon conception. Her strength had to be enough for the both of them.

“Soon, sweetheart. They’re working as fast as they can to help you. It won’t be long until you’ll be out of pain. Remember when you were eight years old and you broke your arm? Remember when the doctor told you they would have to set it and that it would hurt, so you begged your dad to do surgery to remove it because you’d rather have your arm taken off than go through the pain?”

“Mama!” he wailed, holding onto her hand for dear life. Wishing to do more, she could only stand by and watch her son be victimized by an invisible assailant that came from within his own body.

“Hold on, Andrew. You’re being so brave.” Gently, she wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“I can’t stand it anymore!”

Sitting on the edge of the hospital bed in an attempt to be closer to him, Andrew welcomed the invasion of his space and let loose Bree’s hand to envelope his mother with his arms. He clung to her tightly in desperate hope of finding solace. Trying to console him, she rubbed his back softly with one hand while holding his head against her with another. His ear lay on her chest and she could feel the tremors that racked his body in jagged waves. It was the same spot where his tiny head laid the first time she ever held him. When she spoke, Andrew could hear the muffled sound of her voice through her chest wall. He also heard the beat of her heart which was an anchor in the midst of the chaos that whirled about him. It’s steady, timely rhythm proved to lull him into a trance-like state in which the pain began to subside. Drowsiness soon carried him away from the world around him and the pain that had inexorably besieged him dripped from his body. In the arms of his mother, he peacefully feel into a deep sleep.

Loathe to release her son, she eased Andrew and herself down onto the bed and lay there as his erratic breaths lessened and became more regular. Tucking his head under her chin, she felt his warm breath shower her clammy skin. Closing her eyes, she savored the moment which she might never again experience and reveled in the intimacy that hadn’t been afforded to her since Andrew entered adolescence. She knew he was eighteen years of age, but that night he’d been a child in a young man’s body crying out for the one person who knew him and loved him unconditionally. He was too proud to have a nurse bring her to him, but somehow she knew he needed his mom. It was purely instinctual, something set in place the second she became a mother. Becoming a parent was the last thing Bree recalled as she, too, joined Andrew in sleep. The troubled world continued to spin and life went on as Bree and Andrew lay unto themselves, relishing a reunion of which neither was aware.

(To be continued in the next post...)